BETUZ Renews Call for Better Conditions for Teachers

By Alain Kabinda

The Basic Education Teachers Union of Zambia (BETUZ) has called for improved conditions of service, better remuneration and greater professional recognition for teachers, particularly those working in rural and hard-to-reach areas.

BETUZ Acting CEO-DGS Christopher Simukonda made the call during the flag-off of 90,000 World Teachers Day shirts earmarked for distribution to union members across the country.

Mr Simukonda said the recognition of teachers should go beyond commemorative activities and be matched with practical measures aimed at improving their welfare and dignity.

He said teachers continue to make significant sacrifices in classrooms, often working under difficult conditions while carrying the responsibility of preparing learners for the future.

“Behind every shirt is a teacher who wakes up very early to shape the future of a child, a teacher who serves in the classroom, often under very difficult circumstances, a teacher who sacrifices today to build a better Zambia tomorrow,” he said.

Mr Simukonda described teachers as critical to Zambia’s national development, saying the education sector remains the foundation for building the country’s human capital.

“Teachers are not merely employees within the education sector. They are the architects of national development and the foundation upon which Zambia’s human capital is built,” he said.

He said BETUZ would continue engaging Government and other stakeholders on issues affecting teachers, including improved salaries, timely promotions and upgrades, professional recognition, continuous professional development and better working conditions.

Mr Simukonda said teachers serving in rural and hard-to-reach communities require particular attention because of the additional challenges they face in delivering education services.

He said BETUZ would continue advocating for teachers through constructive but firm engagement to ensure that their welfare and professional standing remain a national priority.

Mr Simukonda said the 90,000 shirts should be viewed as more than World Teachers Day merchandise, describing them as a symbol of unity, solidarity, professional pride and recognition.

“These shirts are more than fabric, cotton and colour. They carry a message, they carry our dignity. They represent unity, solidarity, professional pride and recognition of the teacher,” he said.

He said the procurement of the shirts, which are expected to reach almost every BETUZ member, demonstrates the union’s commitment to its membership.

Mr Simukonda urged teachers to wear the shirts with pride as a symbol of their unity and professional identity.

He further stressed that investing in teachers was essential to Zambia’s development, warning that failure to adequately support educators could undermine the country’s education system and broader development aspirations.

“When you invest in the teacher, we invest in the future of Zambia. The future of this nation depends upon education,” he said.

The distribution of the 90,000 shirts is expected to begin with the dispatch of the consignment to provinces for onward distribution to BETUZ members across the country.